Is there any place during the pandemic that is safe, fun, recharging, cool, and cost you nothing in Irvine? The answer is naturally the library! Why? Because it costs a lot to buy books in the United States. However, at your local library, you can not only check out a variety of books, games, audios, and videos for free, but also enjoy a quiet mental break at a safe and quiet environment, unplugged from electronic and screens, more important of all, you can enjoy more of the services that you may not be aware. Now follow us to explore the cool features of the Irvine Heritage Park Library (IHPL)!
In fact, the most powerful free public resource in the United States is the library system. If you don’t know how to make the best use of it, you will miss a lot. The IHPL is the regional center of the Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL). If you could check out the service and cool features during your free time, chances are you will find great books, games, and resources to savor at home for free. For people with children, young or teens, it is a great place to keep them entertained. Let’s go!
1. Where to Find the Best Sellers?
The book collection of the IHPL is unbeatable! With the help of the friendly librarians, you can find almost all the Amazon best sellers here, whether it is for adults, children, or teenagers, Chinese, English or other world languages.
- New Books for Adults
New books for adults are displayed at the book shelfs left to the entrance. Each new book is labeled in yellow sticker marked with “New” to make it easier for you to recognize. If you like to explore and try new things, then you will find many new books, fiction, non-fiction, here at your choice.
- Lucky Day—Immediate Access to Best Sellers
What if you would like to try some new books, yet don’t know what the best sellers are, or you do know what the newest best sellers you want but dislike the long waiting list? Then “Lucky Day” is your friend. You can find these best sellers marked as “Lucky Day” next to the shelfs of new adult books. IHPL offers this special service to grant readers immediate access to some popular bestsellers for up to three weeks and three books per person. Although Lucky Day cannot be renewed, you may finish reading a book in one go because of the time pressure. Who knows, before you realize it, you might have met or exceeded your annual reading goal!
- New Books for Children
Irvine is a culturally diverse international city, and its richness in global influence can be found in the IHPL’s children’s book collection. As you can see in the center of the library, children from Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Arabian, Russian, or other culture around the world can easily find new books in their native language here.
You may wonder—given so many world languages, will there be enough Chinese children’s books available? Don’t worry. Look at this row of shelf behind the children’s world language display—it is full of Chinese children’s books.
If you feel these books will not be sufficient to meet your needs, you can borrow books from other library in the Orange County Public Library system (www.ocpl.org). Simply go to your account, put a hold online, and choose your preferred pickup location. These books will be delivered to your designated library, and you will get an email to notify you once the book is available for pickup. Isn’t this service user-friendly?
- What Can You Do with a Young Children？
IHPL is a fairytale world for young children. You will not miss the sign to find the wonder and magic once they are inside the library because the wisdom tree is beckoning at you. Here you will find a eye-cathing array of English picture books. If you don’t know where to start, or how to find the age-appropriate books, click on the link below. You will find a book list carefully prepared by librarians according to the children’s age and grade level.
IHPL is not only a good place to find good books, but also a paradise for parents to cultivate a child’s concentration and early developmental skills. In this quiet corner of the children’s section, librarians have thoughtfully prepared a play zone, where you can teach your little one how to draw, build blocks, piece puzzles, make crafts, and of course, enjoy stories. It is a wonderful bonding place for fun, play, learning, and fine motor development.
3. What Options Are Here for Teens？
If you have a teen who are independent thinkers, or particular about their choices, don't worry. IHPL’s collection of juvenile literature is no fewer than that of the children. As you can see on the display shelfs in the middle of the hall, there are loads of new and popular books ranging from younger teens to older teens. Your teens will be sure to find some books that tailor to his/her interest.
For Gen-Z, how can a collection complete without the Japanese Amine and Marvel? IHPL’s graphic novel collection will make you dizzy, and the animation magazine will keep you at the forefront of animation dynamics.
If these collections cannot meet your teen’s needs, don’t worry, click on the link below and you will find a book list that IHPL librarians have carefully chosen for the teen group： https://ocpl.org/teens/read
4. What’s in the Chinese Collections？
IHPL has the largest Chinese collection in Southern California, and novels alone take up the long row of bookshelves on the right side of the central hall. Whether it’s popular novels by Jin Yong, Yishu, and Priest, classics such as A Dream of Red Mansions, Journey to the West, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, or Tomb Raiders, Zhu Xian, and Qing Yu Nian, you will find a popular online novel so captivating that you can't stop. Tired of the online life and facing the camera and screen all day? Why not give yourself an unplugged break, get yourself lost in your imagination, adventure in another world, or converse with the wise ones--it would be a good alternative to your digital life and a rejuvenating break.
Compared with the dazzling array of the Chinese novels, the two large rows of non-fiction books around the window on the right-hand side of the corridor look more down to earth. You will not be disappointed to find books from thought-provoking books on history, biography, religion, philosophy to daily practical ones on parenting, recipes, tour guide, etc.
- What’s New About the Board Games？
IHPL is not just for books, but also other hidden gems. Since the pandemic started last spring, IHPL librarians have carefully prepared a wealth of board games for community residents to enjoy, which can be checked out like books. You can find them in the middle of the hall, displayed here just like books. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to check out one and play with your family after dinner? Wouldn’t it be a nice break from the screen time and enjoy some quality family time together?
6. What Free Resources Are Available？
- Career Guide
In addition to books and audio books, CDs and DVDs, the IHPL also offers free resources on career guide, test and college preps. These free resources are located to the left of the Chinese collections, on the shelfs marked with "Career". Here, you can not only find books and information on occupations such as medical care, pharmacy, or nurse, but you can also find relevant occupation or graduate school test prep books. For example, if you need prepare for MBA or graduate schools, you can find GMAT, GRE prep materials by Princeton Review; if you need to prepare for pharmacy college admission, you can also find prep books on PCAT. If you are a new immigrant, and don’t know how to find a job in the United States, or want to change a career, here are some good free career guidance books for your reference.
- Test-Prep Reference
If you just happen to have a college-bond rising senior, then the career section is your best friend because it not only offers you the SAT and ACT prep books, but also other important high school AP test prep materials such as AP World History, AP American History, AP European History and so on. For those of you who don’t know how to start the college application, or how to choose the right schools, you can find many helps here, such as the classic college reference books Princeton Review’s "The Best 386 Universities in the United States", and Fiske’s "The Right University Guide", "Really Effective University Essays", etc. Just think about how much you can accomplish and how much effort, and time you can save for your child and you by just paying one visit to the library. And most important of all, all these resources are free!
- What If There Is Another Stay-at-Home Order?
With the emergence of variants of the Covid-19 and the arrival of winter, you may worry that the spread of the epidemic will lead to another lockdown. Don't worry, the librarians have carefully prepared a comprehensive plan for you.
- Virtual Programs(線上活動)
For parents who have children that have not been vaccinated and prefer to minimize their children’s exposure, you do not have to worry. The IHPL has thoughtfully prepares age-appropriate activities for children of all ages. Click this link
https://www.ocpl.org/elibrary/virtual-programs，it will take you to the main website of OCPL, and you will find various online activities as shown in the picture. From children’s story time, teenagers’ online games, crafts of all ages, to book clubs, etc., you will find many activities available at your finger tips. You can refer to the activity schedule and select the activities that suit you. In addition, if you are new to the OCPL, you can also watch video tutorials, and learn how to borrow books, place a hold, and check out eBooks.
- How to Use Curb Side Pickup？
To minimize contact during the epidemic, IHPL also provides special services for curbside pickup. It is very simple.
You only need to log in to your account, find the book you want, request it as "Hold". Once the library finds it and place it on hold as shown in the picture, it will automatically notify you via email. You can call (949)936-4040 when commuting to work or passing by, and the librarians will get them ready for you to pick up at the library’s curbside. The service hours for roadside book collection are as follows:
Tuesday ~ Thursday, 12 a.m.～6 p.m. Friday ~ Saturday 10 a.m.～4 p.m.
(Please note：The library hours will subject to change after Sept. 24, 2021. Please go to the library’s website https://www.ocpl.org/libraries/irvine-heritage-park for update information)
- How to Apply for the Library Card？
The treasures at the IHPL are countless. You may ask how to apply for a library card? Very simple, just scan this QR code and follow the directions. It will lead you through the application step by step.
Aren’t you excited to see so much are offered at the IHPL? It's better to act quickly as the service is too tempting:
1. All books, games, and activities are free.
2. You can always find something to suits your needs because of the rich collection of world languages and the convenience of new book services such as Lucky Day.
3. All librarians are dedicated to providing you the best help.
Finally, don’t forget to use most convenient feature of IHPL’s eBook service by clicking the following link: https://ocpl.overdrive.com/. You just need to remember to borrow, don’t have to remember to return—because the book will be automatically returned once the three-week loan expires.
